Coach Pat O'Rourke's gifted, tough-minded and team-first Ice Cats withstood two third-period goals by a big-hearted University School program and defeated the Preppers, 4-3, in the Championship Game of the 39th Annual OHSAA State Ice Hockey Tournament in Columbus' Nationwide Arena, the home of the NHL's Blue Jackets.
The Ice Cats, who were also OHSAA State Champs in 2000, 2010 and 2014, finished their remarkable season at 38-2-1 and will enter next season on a 26-game winning streak. Those big-time numbers include both regular season and Cleveland Cup postseason championships in the Great Lakes Hockey League, a state-qualifying championship at the always demanding Brooklyn District and first-place finishes in some of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation.
In what was an all-Cleveland area State Championship matchup, Saint Ignatius defeated its Great Lakes Hockey League rival University School for the fourth time this year. The Preppers, who closed their memorable winter at 26-12-2, won OHSAA State Ice Hockey titles in 2003 and 2009 and now have three state runner-up finishes, 2016, 2004 and 2002. University School, Ohio's third-ranked team, advanced to the state ice hockey final four for the 12th time.
Saint Ignatius, ranked second in the season's final State Ice Hockey Poll and coming off a dominant 5-1 victory over top-ranked and 2015 State Champ Toledo St. Francis de Sales in Thursday night's state semifinals, struck early on a back-hander by senior forward /Captain Cam Gerard just 14 seconds into the first period. Assisting were All-GLHL senior forward/Captain Aidan Spellacy and gifted and gutsy senior forward/Alternate Captain Jared Stepka.
University School would knot the score at 1 early in the second period on a lamplighter by senior forward James Koch, only to watch the Ice Cats respond with two goals from ever-present senior forward Zack Kisel and a goal by Spellacy.
Kisel's goals came at 5:01 and 5:08 of the second period and Spellacy struck at 12:58 of the second period. Ending what was a tradition-rich family lineage in Saint Ignatius Ice Hockey, Aidan also contributed three assists on the afternoon.
Gerard complemented his early goal with two assists and Kisel scored his two goals on just three shots. Kisel and Gerard provided the helpers on Spellacy's goal.
Trailing, 4-1, after two periods, the rich in pride Preppers scored a minute into the third period on a goal by their gifted senior forward/Captain Robby Engoglia and scored the game's final lamplighter off a second-effort by junior forward JD Clemens with 39 seconds remaining.
Engoglia and Clemens each totaled two assists.
Saint Ignatius outshot University School, 39-21, including 23-7 in the second period.
The Ice Cats and their outstanding young man between the pipes, senior goalie Dylan McKeon, who are remembered around the nation for the 4 hour and 40 minutes, 7-overtime 2014 co-State Championship with Sylvania Northview, left the site of that highly publicized game with a much broader smile late Saturday afternoon.
McKeon finished with 18 saves and the Preppers' resilient man behind the mask, senior Alec Silver, totaled 35 saves. Coach Andre Lacroix's Preppers advanced to Saturday's title game by defeating Dublin Coffman, 3-2, in two overtimes during Thursday afternoon's State Semifinal at Nationwide Arena. Engoglia provided the game-winner 54 seconds into the second overtime.
Coach O'Rourke '90, who can now add the 32nd OHSAA-sanctioned Team Gold Trophy to Saint Ignatius' tradition-rich and title-filled trophy case, and put up another State Championship Banner in the Brooklyn Ice Arena, was guiding his Ice Cats in what was the program's seventh state "Frozen Four" appearance.
Three of Saint Ignatius' now four ice hockey state titles have come under the guidance of one of the finest coaches and human beings God has ever put on this earth - Mr. Pat O'Rourke.
Note: Saint Ignatius has also won numerous Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships and two consecutive Rugby State titles (2014 and 2015) in what are sports yet to be sanctioned by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
NOTE 2: The Ice Cats' regular season victories over University School were 3-1 at the Brooklyn Ice Arena, 4-0 at The Pond and 5-3 in what was an exceptional GLHL Cleveland Cup Championship Game in the OBM Arena at Strongsville's IceLand USA. This old-timer labeled the Cleveland Cup final as the best all-around game I have ever witnessed. Skilled, strong, fast and all business hard-nosed hockey.
But then that's what two of classiest programs in the nation are expected to produce.
To Coach O'Rourke, his outstanding staff on all levels and especially the young men I call The Ice Cats, CONGRATULATIONS AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, MR. EDDIE DWYER
The Ice Cats, who were also OHSAA State Champs in 2000, 2010 and 2014, finished their remarkable season at 38-2-1 and will enter next season on a 26-game winning streak. Those big-time numbers include both regular season and Cleveland Cup postseason championships in the Great Lakes Hockey League, a state-qualifying championship at the always demanding Brooklyn District and first-place finishes in some of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation.
In what was an all-Cleveland area State Championship matchup, Saint Ignatius defeated its Great Lakes Hockey League rival University School for the fourth time this year. The Preppers, who closed their memorable winter at 26-12-2, won OHSAA State Ice Hockey titles in 2003 and 2009 and now have three state runner-up finishes, 2016, 2004 and 2002. University School, Ohio's third-ranked team, advanced to the state ice hockey final four for the 12th time.
Saint Ignatius, ranked second in the season's final State Ice Hockey Poll and coming off a dominant 5-1 victory over top-ranked and 2015 State Champ Toledo St. Francis de Sales in Thursday night's state semifinals, struck early on a back-hander by senior forward /Captain Cam Gerard just 14 seconds into the first period. Assisting were All-GLHL senior forward/Captain Aidan Spellacy and gifted and gutsy senior forward/Alternate Captain Jared Stepka.
University School would knot the score at 1 early in the second period on a lamplighter by senior forward James Koch, only to watch the Ice Cats respond with two goals from ever-present senior forward Zack Kisel and a goal by Spellacy.
Kisel's goals came at 5:01 and 5:08 of the second period and Spellacy struck at 12:58 of the second period. Ending what was a tradition-rich family lineage in Saint Ignatius Ice Hockey, Aidan also contributed three assists on the afternoon.
Gerard complemented his early goal with two assists and Kisel scored his two goals on just three shots. Kisel and Gerard provided the helpers on Spellacy's goal.
Trailing, 4-1, after two periods, the rich in pride Preppers scored a minute into the third period on a goal by their gifted senior forward/Captain Robby Engoglia and scored the game's final lamplighter off a second-effort by junior forward JD Clemens with 39 seconds remaining.
Engoglia and Clemens each totaled two assists.
Saint Ignatius outshot University School, 39-21, including 23-7 in the second period.
The Ice Cats and their outstanding young man between the pipes, senior goalie Dylan McKeon, who are remembered around the nation for the 4 hour and 40 minutes, 7-overtime 2014 co-State Championship with Sylvania Northview, left the site of that highly publicized game with a much broader smile late Saturday afternoon.
McKeon finished with 18 saves and the Preppers' resilient man behind the mask, senior Alec Silver, totaled 35 saves. Coach Andre Lacroix's Preppers advanced to Saturday's title game by defeating Dublin Coffman, 3-2, in two overtimes during Thursday afternoon's State Semifinal at Nationwide Arena. Engoglia provided the game-winner 54 seconds into the second overtime.
Coach O'Rourke '90, who can now add the 32nd OHSAA-sanctioned Team Gold Trophy to Saint Ignatius' tradition-rich and title-filled trophy case, and put up another State Championship Banner in the Brooklyn Ice Arena, was guiding his Ice Cats in what was the program's seventh state "Frozen Four" appearance.
Three of Saint Ignatius' now four ice hockey state titles have come under the guidance of one of the finest coaches and human beings God has ever put on this earth - Mr. Pat O'Rourke.
Note: Saint Ignatius has also won numerous Midwest Scholastic Rowing Championships and two consecutive Rugby State titles (2014 and 2015) in what are sports yet to be sanctioned by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.
NOTE 2: The Ice Cats' regular season victories over University School were 3-1 at the Brooklyn Ice Arena, 4-0 at The Pond and 5-3 in what was an exceptional GLHL Cleveland Cup Championship Game in the OBM Arena at Strongsville's IceLand USA. This old-timer labeled the Cleveland Cup final as the best all-around game I have ever witnessed. Skilled, strong, fast and all business hard-nosed hockey.
But then that's what two of classiest programs in the nation are expected to produce.
To Coach O'Rourke, his outstanding staff on all levels and especially the young men I call The Ice Cats, CONGRATULATIONS AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU NOW AND IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, MR. EDDIE DWYER